HOUSE BILL No. 4843

 

 

July 12, 2017, Introduced by Reps. Brann and Kosowski and referred to the Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs.

 

     A bill to create a veterans training service dog pilot

 

program; to provide for the powers and duties of certain state

 

entities; to create a veterans training service dog pilot program

 

fund; and to provide for the use of the fund.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 1. As used in this act:

 

     (a) "Department" means the department of military and veterans

 

affairs.

 

     (b) "Eligible veteran" means an individual who received a

 

referral to the program from a mental health professional and

 

served in the United States Armed Forces, including the reserve

 

components, and was discharged or released under conditions other

 

than dishonorable.

 

     (c) "Follow-along support services" means training and support

 

services provided to a participant after the fostering and training

 

of the participant's dog is complete.

 

     (d) "Fund" means the veterans training service dog pilot

 

program fund created in section 3.

 

     (e) "Participant" means a selected eligible veteran that has

 

agreed to participate in the program.

 

     (f) "Program" means the veterans training service dog pilot

 

program created in section 5.

 

     Sec. 3. (1) The veterans training service dog pilot program

 

fund is created within the state treasury.

 

     (2) The state treasurer may receive money or other assets from

 

any source for deposit into the fund, including general fund

 

appropriations, gifts, state and federal grants, and bequests. The

 

state treasurer shall direct the investment of the fund. The state

 

treasurer shall credit to the fund interest and earnings from fund

 

investments.

 

     (3) Money in the fund at the close of the fiscal year must

 

remain in the fund and not lapse to the general fund.

 

     (4) The department is the administrator of the fund for

 

auditing purposes.

 

     (5) The department shall expend money from the fund, upon

 

appropriation, only for the following purposes:

 

     (a) To award grants to nonprofit entities as provided under

 

this act.

 

     (b) To carry out its duties under this act.

 

     Sec. 5. (1) The veterans training service dog pilot program is

 

created in the department. The 5-year program must do all of the

following:

 

     (a) Identify no more than 10 participants who are each paired

 

with a dog capable of performing as a service dog.

 

     (b) Provide any necessary funding from the fund to a nonprofit

 

entity to implement the program as provided in section 7.

 

     (c) Provide each participant who completes the program with

 

the opportunity to adopt the dog trained by that participant.

 

     (2) The department must establish and publish the selection

 

criteria for eligible veterans, dogs, and nonprofit entities as

 

provided in this act within 180 days after the effective date of

 

this act.

 

     (3) Within 1 year after the conclusion of the program, the

 

department shall submit a report to the standing committees of the

 

house of representatives and senate responsible for legislation

 

concerning military affairs and concerning agriculture. The report

 

must include the following:

 

     (a) The number of veterans who participated in the program.

 

     (b) A description of the services provided under the program.

 

     (c) An assessment of the report submitted under section

 

7(2)(e).

 

     (d) The department's recommendation on expanding or extending

 

the program.

 

     Sec. 7. (1) A nonprofit entity is eligible to apply to the

 

department to implement this program if the nonprofit entity has a

 

long history of providing a variety of support services to the

 

veteran population within this state and is able to identify and

 

willing to partner with an organization that is qualified to train

service dogs.

 

     (2) The department shall require a nonprofit entity awarded a

 

grant to do all of the following:

 

     (a) Select its participants based on the criteria published by

 

the department under section 5.

 

     (b) With input from the participant, select a dog based upon

 

the participant's specific and individual needs.

 

     (c) Assist in placing the selected dog with the participant.

 

     (d) Provide training, mentoring, and follow-along services to

 

participants while they train their selected dog and to

 

participants who complete the program and are willing to train a

 

subsequent dog for another eligible veteran who is physically

 

unable to complete the training program.

 

     (e) Report measurable outcomes and an evaluation of those

 

outcomes to the department within 180 days of the program's

 

completion. A report submitted under this subdivision must include

 

the following information related to participants:

 

     (i) Symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and post-

 

deployment adjustment difficulties, including, but not limited to,

 

depression, maintenance of sobriety, suicidal ideations, and

 

homelessness.

 

     (ii) Physiological markers that possibly relate to the

 

interactions with service dogs.

 

     (iii) Family dynamics.

 

     (iv) Insomnia and pain management.

 

     (v) Overall well-being.

 

     Enacting section 1. This act takes effect 90 days after the

date it is enacted into law.